Journal box lid



Feb. 19, 1952 D. s. BARROVQVS 2,586,599

JOURNAL BOX LID Filed Jan. 14, 1948 INVENTOR. Donald SIRzrr-awfi,

111's Atlozmey Patented Feb. 19, 1952 UNITED STATES TEN O FF-I CE JOURNAL BOX -LID Donald S.'Barrows, Rochester, N. Y., assignor to The 'Symington-Gould Corporation, 'Depew, N. Y a corporation of Maryland Application January 14,1948,:Serial No.,2,2!l

.form a complete and satisfactory closure member for an access opening of a journal box.

Another object of theinvention is the provision of a. journal box lid having a multiplicity of formations all of which lend to the successful operation of the lid.

Ihe aboveand numerous other objectsof this invention will become apparent from the succeeding description considered together with the accompanying drawing wherein:

,Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along the lines 4-43 of Figure 1, looking in'the direction of the arrows.

Referring now-in detail to the drawing, wherein like reference characters {indicate like :parts, :the numeral l is employed to designate, :in a

somewhat general manner, {a journal box lid embodying the present invention. It may be well at this point to set forth the fact that the journal box lid, hereinafter sometimes called lid, may be of cast form but it is at the present writing preferred to form the lid from a steel plate, fabricated to present a sturdy, inexpensive and efficient component of an assembly of which it forms a part. lhe lid comprises a main body portion 2 which lies in a single plane with particular reference to the fiat part or area 3 thereof which, as will be understood, is arranged to bear against a journal box la to form an adequate and effective seal at an opening into the box. A part of the top edge is cut away as at 4 to allow the lid to pivot about a hinge lug (not shown) during an opening or closing move ment of the lid. Extending about the periphery of the main body portion (except for the cut out part 4) is a continuous flange 5 turned at an angle to the main body portion in what might be termed a rearward direction to thereby telescope the journal box in spaced relation thereto. The continuous flange which extends along the lower edge 5, the spaced side edges 1 and a part of the top edge 3 not only function asa rigidify- .ing member but also function as a shield to direct water, dirt or any other impurities which may be iimpinged against the journal box lid away from the lid-boxjuncture to enhance the sealing effects of the lid.

Extending about the main body portion desirably spaced apredetermineddistance inwardly from the peripheryofthe 'lid is a continuous depressed groove :8 which defines the inner "limits of the 'flatbearingarea 3. This groove pressed into the face of the mainbody .portion is rectangular in configuration and functions as ;a iiying medium 'tQstreng'then the lid against ses to .which'it .willbe subjected inservice.

"Since the lid is'intended and designed to .form apart of :anarticulazted assembly notpshown) there is provided, within the limits or confines of the depressed groove, a socket Ill pressed into the face of the main body portion and opening or facing outwardly of thelid. This socket is desirably of spherical configuration so as "to accommodate a ball-,ishaped end H (shown diagrammatically) of .a hood or spring housing to present thereby an articulated joint at 'the hood-lid connection andallow the lid a certain degree of universal moveabilityin order to assure,

atall times, ,a full surface bearing relationbetween the lid and "box. The socket is located adjacent to thecenter .of the'lid so that it may be urged, all alongits .contact with a journal box, with subs'tantially equal force ,orpressure as will become apparent "hereinafter.

The main body portion, within the confines of the reinforcing groove, is also provided with a plurality of spring seating or accommodating depressions l2 pressed into the face of the lid so that the portions of the spring l3 (shown diagrammatically) accommodated by the depressions will clear related components or structure. Each depression l2 starts at the adjacent or upper part of the continuous groove to one side of the socket and increases in depth as it approaches a horizontal alignment with a center of the socket where it is then turned inwardly or horizontally toward the socket to terminate finally at the latter. As clearly illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawing the depressions 12 are angle-shaped in plan so that they communicate with the groove and socket. The horizontally turned legs Id of the depressions which merge with or blend into the socket, accommodate angularly turned feet l5 of the spring and since the axes of the legs [4 are in horizontal alignment with the center of the socket this arrangement allows a free flexible action of the lid relative to the hood or spring housing.

In order to maintain the ball end of the hood and the lid in assembled relation the lid is proq vided with horizontally disposed slots l6 spaced a substantially equal distance above and below the socket and into which there is arranged to fit, related legs of a clip I! (shown diagrammatically). The clip spans the ball end of the hood and the legs of the clip extend through and a slight distance beyond the plane of the main body portion where they are welded or otherwise secured to the main body portion to form a part thereof.

When the lid is opened or closed the operator employs a hook-like implement and since the longest lever arm is presented by the bottom edge of the lid the operator naturally hooks the implement at the lower edge. For the accommodation of the operator's implement the lower area of the lid is provided with a plurality of pockets I8 and 19. These adjacent outer and inner pockets are formed by urging the metal of the lid in opposite directions so that the metal, considered in vertical section, (see Figure 2) presents an S-shaped configuration. The outer pocket l8 opens or faces outwardly of the lid so that when the lid is in open position the operator may insert the implement hook in this pocket 18 to pull or urge the lid closed and the inner pocket l9 opens or faces inwardly of the lid so that when the operator desires to move the lid to open position the implement hook may be inserted in the pocket is for that purpose. The pockets are formed in a lip 20 of the lid at the center thereof and as will be noted by referring to Figure 2 of the drawing the inner pocket particularly is well below or free of the journal box so that it may be engaged when the lid is hearing against the journal box.

From the above it will be noted that various changes and alterations can be made to the illustrated and described construction without departing from the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

Iclaim:

1. In a journal box lid, the combination of, a fabricated plate having a main body portion, angularly disposed flanges extending along sides and a bottom edge of said portion, a depressed an outwardly facing spherically arranged socket adjacent a center of said portion, a continuous depressed groove inwardly of a periphery of said portion, spring seating angular depressions leading from said groove to said socket. and horizontally disposed slots spaced from said socket.

2. In a journal box lid, the combination of, a fabricated plate having a main body portion, a rearwardly turned flange extending along a bottom edge, sides andpartly along a top edge of said portion, an outwardly facing ball receivable socket in said portion inwardly of a periphery thereof, a continuous depressed groove inwardly of said periphery, spring seating angular depressions communicating with said groove and socket, and substantially parallel slots adjacent said socket.

3. In a journal box lid, the combination of, a fabricated plate having a main body portion, a rearwardly turned flange extending along a bottom edge, sides and partly along a top edge of said portion, an outwardly facing ball receivable socket in said portion adjacent a center thereof, a continuous depressed groove inwardly of said periphery and surrounding said socket, spring seating angular depressions communicating with said groove and socket, said depressions increasing in depth as they approach said socket, and hook receivable adjacent pockets pushed inwardly and outwardly of said main portion near the bottom edge thereof to present an 8 formation in cross section.

4. In a journal box lid, the combination of, a fabricated plate having a main body portion, a rearwardly turned flange extending along a bottom edge, sides and partly along a top edge of said portion, an outwardly facing ball receivable socket in said portion inwardly of a periphery thereof, a continuous depressed groove inwardly of said periphery, spring seating angular depressions communicating with said groove and socket, and an 8 formation in cross-section appearing in said portion presenting hook receivable oppositely facing pockets adjacent said bottom edge.

DONALD S. BARROWS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Couch Apr. 23, 1935 

